


You Can Feel Sorry for Someone You Don't Like

by allmilhouse



Category: Johnny Eager (1941)
Genre: Confrontations, Drunk Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, M/M, Self-Hatred, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 11:53:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13740324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allmilhouse/pseuds/allmilhouse
Summary: Like everything about Johnny Eager, the kiss was tight and controlled from the get-go, almost insultingly dispassionate. But, like everything about Johnny Eager, Jeff Hartnett was utterly captivated.Johnny's girlfriend Garnet objects to finding her boyfriend's loathsome self-loathing drunk of a friend at breakfast. Johnny recounts the previous night and assures her it's all business.





	You Can Feel Sorry for Someone You Don't Like

**Author's Note:**

> This is...so bad, I am so sorry. 
> 
> I went back and forth a bit trying to decide if Johnny Eager should be a complete bastard in this or not. Also, Jeff is drunk, so that's why I try to have Eager backpeddle him a bit, but Jeff does instigate the sex, so, like, I don't think it's non-con, but he _is_ drunk for it, so fair warning

For a gangster's assistant, Jeff Hartnett was strangely averse to confrontation. Obviously he had seen some rough situations, and could handle himself through actual violence, but when it came to arguments, he could never stomach them. There was something about conflict and raised voices that burrowed deep under his skin, unsettling him, leaving him on edge for days. The older he got, the more he drank to hide his uneasiness, which really didn't help, considering how softened and vulnerable he felt when hungover. So he would drink again, and the cycle would continue, and his problems would compound. 

Fortunately, Johnny Eager knew him well enough to help when he could, as was the case this morning. The two men were having breakfast together, something they did when Jeff would sleep over, when Johnny's girlfriend Garnet burst in, intent on creating a scene. 

"Oh, so what do we have here?" she announced angrily, bursting into the sitting room of Johnny's secret apartment at the dog track. Always two steps ahead, Johnny seemed to have anticipated this, and was on his feet before she reached the small table against the far window. He walked confidently towards the scorned woman, and gently placed his hands on her upper arms.

"Listen, baby, you've got this all wrong. C'mon, let's go talk this over in my room," he said patiently, but leading her insistently to his bedroom. He threw a quick look over his shoulder back at Jeff, who wasn't looking back, having crumpled his face in his hands on the table. Johnny frowned slightly, before turning back to face the bigger problem ahead of him.

"So, you call me up last night to cancel our plans _for the third time this week_ , saying you had to work! And sure enough, I stroll in here finding you and that, that-"

Johnny cut her off by holding up is hands in surrender. He had barely gotten the door shut before Garnet launched into her tirade, angrily tossing her purse on his bed.

"Princess, you don't understand," he started slowly, "this was business. I needed Jeff around last night while I paid a few calls to some clients. Some of those clients were in bars, and you know how Jeff gets. I brought him home to sleep it off, that's all."

Garnet huffed, eyes falling on the mess of clothes littering the floor. "That's all?"

\---------------------------

“I can’t believe we pulled that off!” Jeff said, laughing as they entered the secret apartment. He stepped unsteadily down to main living area, and sat heavily on the deep couch.

“You mean you pulled it off.” Johnny corrected, following his guest into his own home. “You did a fine job back there. I’m glad I can always count on you.”

“I like to make myself useful. Speaking of which-” Jeff reached out and pawed at Johnny’s belt.

"Nix, you’re drunk,“ Johnny said derisively, pulling away.

Jeff continued laughing, the sound turning hollow and bitter.

"O-of course I’m drunk, Johnny. You can’t have honestly expected me to come down on those guys tonight sober. You-you I know don’t-”

“Yes, yes, you don’t like confrontation. I’ve heard it all before!” Johnny interrupted. “You’re one hell of a heavy, Jeff. Can’t perform a routine job without getting soused first. First tough guy to get turned in by his own liver before the cops ever touch him.” He turned away in disgust, and Jeff crumpled to his knees on the floor.

"Jeff!" Johnny yelled, crouching down to help. Jeff was leaning forward on his knees, tears streaming down his face, his breathing ragged and uneven. He was shielding his face with his hands, afraid to be seen.

"I'm, I'm sorry, Johnny," he finally said, sniffling. "I just thought that maybe, I mean-"

"Hey now, easy fella," Johnny soothed, speaking softly like he was trying to calm a spooked animal. "I know, alright." He reached over and started rubbing small circles in Jeff's back. Despite himself, Jeff leaned into the touch. Taking that as an encouraging sign, Johnny used his other hand to move Jeff's out of the way, and lifted his chin. His thumb rubbed away some of the tears, and he stroked Jeff's cheek reassuringly. Jeff met his eyes with a half-worried half-hopeful look, but like always, Johnny Eager was impossible to read. His cold face never betrayed an emotion he didn't intend to show, and even his closest friends couldn't always be sure to know what his next move would be.

"I'm sorry," Jeff repeated, finally breaking their staring contest. He looked down, unsure about just about everything. If someone had told him he'd be having a drunken emotional breakdown on Johnny Eager's floor that night, well, that sounded like something he'd be likely to do. He looked absolutely wrecked, the portrait of a broken man, kneeling there in his friend's arms, so much so that Johnny was sightly taken aback. He shook his head slightly, before impulsively leaning in and ghosting his lips on Jeff's wet cheek.

Jeff looked up in surprise. Johnny wore a small smile, hoping to reassure his disaster of a friend. He caught Jeff off-guard in another kiss, this one on the mouth. Like everything about Johnny Eager, it was tight and controlled from the get-go, almost insultingly dispassionate. But, like everything about Johnny Eager, Jeff Hartnett was utterly captivated.

He leaned into the kiss, emotions turning on a dime. All the hurt and self-hate fled his body to make room for the flood of desire he felt for Johnny. They had done this before, had done quite a few things before, but not for a while, and Jeff had grown even needier in the meanwhile. He pulled back, a hesitant look on his face. Johnny felt a flash of anger, suspecting that Jeff had played him- that the fit had been an act just to trick him into getting what he wanted. But he dismissed it instantly, knowing that wasn't Jeff's style at all. He knew Johnny well enough by now, and knew that he couldn't be swayed by sentiment. _Usually._ But at this late hour, after that sudden drama, riding the high from their earlier success, with those puppy dog eyes in his face- Johnny knew it was easier to give in. He gave a small nod, and Jeff erupted in a smile.

"Easy now, you're still drunk," Johnny advised, but Jeff ignored him. He got up on shaky arms and wobbly legs, and fell back onto the couch, beckoning Johnny over. Johnny obliged, frowning slightly as he sat down next to him. Jeff wasted no time, pushing Johnny back so he was lying down, and crawled on top of him. He kissed Johnny, much sloppier than before. Johnny was usually an unresponsive partner, but Jeff was used to it. He moved lower, dusting Johnny's neck with kisses, while his fingers fumbled drunkenly with the buttons on his shirt.

It took a few moments, but he finally got the shirt unbuttoned, and progressed further down to kiss Johnny's chest. He didn't bother looking up, knowing that Johnny wouldn't bother to give any reaction. The only confirmation he got was feeling Johnny get hard, as his hands brushed the front of Johnny's pants experimentally. Spurred on, he struggled through another button before pushing the pants and shorts down.

He loved Johnny Eager's dick, plain and simple. Some days he felt he was put on this Earth just to pleasure the man, and he was beyond honored to have found such an admirable calling. The first time they went to bed together, Jeff had been hesitant, knowing that Johnny had a girlfriend waiting for them to return to some bar somewhere. Johnny had assured him then that the women he went around with were disposable, but that he, _Jeff Hartnett_ , could never be replaced. Those small words had kept Jeff had Johnny's side, or on his knees in front of him, for years now, and no matter how rough it could be, or how cruel Johnny could be with him, he never felt like straying.

Especially not now, when he had Johnny spread out before him. He was leaning back on his heels, taking in the view, when Johnny admonished him, saying "Get on with it!". Not needing to be told twice, Jeff dove in, licking a long stripe up Johnny's dick. He sucked attentively on the head for a minute, while his hands gently scraped up and down the insides of Johnny's thighs. Not entirely made of stone, Johnny reached down and threaded his fingers through Jeff's hair, thumbs rubbing massaging circles at his temples. Jeff hummed appreciatively, which quickened Johnny's pulse.

Jeff smiled around Johnny's dick, and got to work. Johnny Eager was not an easy man to bring to orgasm, and it took a lot of effort to get him off. Fortunately Jeff was a patient man with some experience, and he quickly got his tongue working up and down the shaft, while he moved his hands to massage the balls.

Johnny sighed softly- probably the most expressive thing he'd done while they were intimate. Jeff felt a sense of pride swelling in his chest, and kept going, moving on to placing gentle kisses along the top of the head. He used his hands to keep the momentum going while he focussed his attention to kissing every sensitive area he could think of, before going back and taking the whole length in his mouth. He started sucking for all he was worth, and before long Johnny was coming over the edge, and spurting down his throat.

Jeff pulled back for a moment, admiring his work with a lopsided grin. Johnny Eager didn't often look dishevelled, and Jeff wanted to bask in it for as long as he could. But it wasn't long before Johnny hauled him down on top of him again with a strong arm slung forcefully around the shoulder. He pulled Jeff in for a series of quick, frantic kisses, none of them very deep, but all of them reassuring Jeff that he was needed, he was wanted in this moment.

Johnny wound a hand down Jeff's wriggling frame to find his belt, and easily worked it open. A couple of quick tugs and within a minute Jeff came, burrowing his head into Johnny's shoulder and muttering his name into the couch cushions.

"Easy there, Jeff," he said soothingly, using his free hand gently rub the back of Jeff's head. He was shaking again, probably sobbing. Johnny briefly cursed himself for allowing this emotional drunk to become so indispensable to him, before softening. He allowed Jeff a few more minutes of whatever this was, before coaxing him into a sitting position. He dried the other man's tears for the second time that night, and threw a quick glance to the clock. Well past four.

"Alright Jeff, it's been an interesting night, but it's got to end. Let's get you to bed."

Jeff nodded, boneless, and got up without a fight. He flopped right on to Johnny's bed, and needed to be stood up again to get properly undressed. Johnny got him out of his tie and shoes at least, and pants too, so he wouldn't trip in case he needed to run to the bathroom once the hangover hit. Jeff fell on the bed again, and Johnny had to arrange their various limbs into a halfway comfortable position.

He pressed a soft kiss to Jeff's forehead. "Get some sleep. I imagine we'll have a busy few days dealing with the fallout of our visits tonight."

Jeff murmured sleepily, eyes already closed. "Sorry if I gave you any trouble tonight. I love you, Johnny. I only want what's best for you."

"I know that, you big lug. Sometimes you just get a little more tight than I'd like, that's all." Johnny looked at his bedmate, looking all angelic in his tired state. "I worry about you too, you know? Tried for days to dig you up for tonight's job, couldn't find you. Afraid one of these days I'll find your body dead in the street somewhere." His voice dropped to whisper. "Don't die on me, Jeff."

"Wasn't planning on it," Jeff agreed, already half asleep.

\---------------------------

Five hours later that wasn't necessarily true anymore. Jeff was seated at Johnny's small breakfast table by the window, overlooking his magnificent soon-to-be-open dog track, wincing at the bright daylight streaming through his fingers. He held his head in his hands on the table, clearly in pain from the noise and dramatics poor Garnet had brought in with her this morning. She and Johnny had already retreated to the bedroom to have it out, leaving Jeff to have it out with the hangover currently storming his body.

He was often asked why he couldn't just stop drinking, and the answer was for mornings like this. There was nothing he hated more than waking up in the morning- every day brought a new rush of self-contempt that could only be quelled by more drinking. But today was some new circle of hell- having to listen to the muffled arguments of Johnny and Garnet from the other room. He was trapped listening to the one man he truly cared about attempt to defend him while his brain was firmly on Garnet's side, and truth be told he wasn't sure who he wanted to win. 

\---------------------------

"So, when I try to spend the night with you, it's all 'it's too dangerous doll, let me get you a cab', but when it's your precious _Jeff_ , it's all 'come on in, the bed's big enough for two'." Garnet said indignantly, crossing her arms.

Johnny stayed firm, unswayed by her anger. "I'm not going to argue with you all day, sweetheart. You know my line of work, and you know the characters I work with. If you have objections, I can show you the door."

Garnet huffed again, before turning on her heel and storming out, doing her best to slam the door as loudly as possible on the way out. Johnny could hear Jeff's groan from the other room, before his eyes fell on Garnet's purse, still on his bed. She had pulled this stunt before- leaving behind some item, so she had an excuse to come back after Johnny had calmed down a bit. He relaxed, before returning to breakfast with Jeff.

"I apologize for any discord I have brought between you and your beloved," Jeff announced gravely, but Johnny waved him off.

"Nix. She'll be back." He replied unconcerned.

"One of these days, she won't be so obliging. She may walk out on you for good " Jeff warned him.

"That's alright," he said, patting Jeff's hand. "You'll always be here for me."


End file.
